Strategic Operations Analyst Intern - Summer 2027

National Life Insurance Company • Montpelier, VT

9d • $19 - $28 • Onsite

About The Position

The Strategic Operations Analyst Intern will support New Business and Underwriting strategic initiatives by translating operational, BPO, and vendor performance data into actionable business insights. This role will help leaders better understand how work is being completed, how resources are being utilized, where performance is improving or declining, and where operational adjustments may be needed. The intern will work across workflow performance, service-level results, BPO effectiveness, production trends, and vendor execution. They will analyze data, identify meaningful trends or outliers, and help turn findings into practical recommendations that improve operational consistency, SLA adherence, and overall business performance. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working with data, identifying patterns, asking why performance changed, and communicating findings in a clear and practical way.

Requirements

• Pursuing a degree in Statistics, Business Administration, Finance, Data Analytics or a related field
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with operational leaders and cross-functional partners
• Leverage approved AI tools, where appropriate, to improve efficiency, quality and impact of their work.
• Stay curious and open to new AI-enabled ways or working
• Exercise sound judgement by reviewing and validating AI-generated content
• Maintain accountability for the accuracy, quality, fairness and integrity of work products by adhering to National Life’s AI guiding principles
• Use AI responsibly and in accordance with company policies related to confidentiality, data privacy, security, compliance, retention and intellectual property

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrates LearningAgility - Enhances skills and knowledge through continuous learning; Focuses on personal results by establishing stretch goals; Seeks feedback and changes accordingly.
• Establishes Relationships- Builds partnerships with others to instill trust, collaborate, and meet shared objectives.
• CommunicatesEffectively - Actively listens, conveys messages to meet different audience needs, and remains open to new ideas and opinions.
• Fosters Diversity- Values diversity and difference in thought, experience, and perspective; Promotes an environment that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion; Supports equal and fair treatment for all.
• Service Focus- Demonstrates a client centric focus for satisfying one’s external and/or internal customers; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
• DecisionMaking - Makes sense of complex information, critically evaluates, and creates solutions.
• Results Oriented- Sets performance and personal goals; Driven to meet or exceed goals and objectives.
• Plans andAligns - Plans and prioritizes work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals; Aligns people and skills to tasks and assignments; Evaluates results of work.
• Highly reliable, engaged and possess a customer service attitude
• Demonstrate effective communication to various areas of the organization (technical and non-technical)
• Bring creativity, thought leadership, and curiosity to the table; actively participate in forums to contribute and learn
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, i.e. a problem solver’s mindset
• Eager to learn, ask relevant questions, seek new knowledge, and make connections
• Enjoy taking on challenges and working towards solutions both collaboratively and independently

Responsibilities

• Analyze operational performance across New Business and Underwriting, including workload completed, workload outstanding, resource utilization, SLA performance, submit volumes, and timing of key work throughout the day.
• Identify trends and changes in performance on a week-over-week, month-over-month, and year-over-year basis, helping leaders understand what is improving, declining, or remaining consistent and the potential drivers behind those results.
• Support BPO performance analysis by evaluating productivity, quality, SLA adherence, workload ownership, and the percentage of overall NB/UW work being completed by BPO teams, helping quantify the operational value and capacity gained through the partnership.
• Monitor vendor operational performance by reviewing key measures such as turnaround time, accuracy, hit rates, utilization, order volume, and spend trends, and help identify changes or issues that may require further review or escalation.
• Develop dashboards, summaries, and other reporting that turn complex data into clear insights for operational and senior leadership.
• Partner with leaders across the organization to investigate performance gaps, identify opportunities for process or workflow improvement, and provide recommendations that support stronger SLA adherence and more consistent execution.

Benefits

• Networking opportunities with peers and leaders throughout the summer
• Cross-Department group project focused on enterprise-wide solutions presented at company-wide event
• Presentation skills coaching sessions
• Learning Opportunities throughout the program
• Access to mentors (former program participants)
• 401(k) eligibility
• various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Associate degree